The absolute perfect bucket list trip!
Japan
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Jul 9 - Jul 16, 2026
My husband and I just returned from our trip to Japan and have said multiple times how absolutely perfect it was. I am so glad we worked with Elizabeth and KimKim on this bucket list trip. They connected us with world class tour guides and interpreters - I keep telling people that we may return to Japan just to visit Naoko. She was our tour guide for two days in Kyoto and one in Osaka. Not only was she incredibly knowledgeable about past and present Japan, but she was adaptable, thoughtful and full of recommendations for places to eat, see, shop, etc. In addition to her tours, the other highlights for us were our private kyudo and iaido lessons in Kanazawa - both brought me to tears because they were so meaningful and our teachers were so genuine as they shared their culture and history with us. It sounds like a lot of people don't choose those experiences, so I cannot recommend them enough for a traveler looking to feel immersed in the culture on their visit. Another experience we will treasure forever is our dinner with a geisha (geiko) in Kyoto. I do not have the words to describe that evening and do it justice so just trust me, ask Elizabeth to schedule this for you if you can! What an absolute privilege it was to have that experience. I also loved our Kanazawa market tour with Selda and our Nishiki market tour with Leandra and would not hesitate to recommend both experiences! Finally, Elizabeth and her colleagues were so easy to work with via WhatsApp on the trip and even sent us videos to help us navigate the train stations. Japan has been my husband's bucket list trip and again, I am so glad we connected with Elizabeth through KimKim to plan the most perfect trip. We will remember our time in Japan forever!
Hotel Reviews
We had a quick overnight in Tokyo and chose this hotel based mostly on location. It has all the standard amenities you might need, including a fantastic breakfast, but it's real value is in the location. I'd stay here again if we needed a home base in Tokyo near Tokyo Station.
We loved Kanazawa Sainoniwa Hotel!!! Our room was great, the food was top notch (I will dream about that breakfast forever!), the staff was so kind and helpful, and you can't beat the access to the public onsen.
Activity Reviews
We absolutely loved our food tour at the Nishiki market! Without Leandra's tour, I doubt we would have tried half of the food that we did - she encouraged us to try foods that looked different than something I might chose myself (and I loved them!), and she did a great job explaining how each food fits into the culinary life of a Kyoto resident. I also appreciated that the food included all sorts of things like sweet, savory, meat, pastries, seafood, tempura, etc. She did a great job introducing to foods that looked a bit intimidating and she also gave us some great recommendations for the rest of our time in Kyoto!
Selda was an incredible guide on this trip! She encouraged us to try foods we were initially hesitant about and I am so glad she was with us as we explored the market. I discovered many foods that I wouldn't have without her, and I loved learning more about the history of Kanazawa and how it's fish market has impacted the history there. From the freshest fruit, to the juiciest steak, to the largest oysters and freshest sushi.....what an amazing way to spend an afternoon in Japan!
It is very hard to write this review because it's hard to really explain how special this dinner was. We ended up having dinner with a geiko (the Kyoto term for geisha) and it was an experience I will treasure forever. Few get the opportunity to dine with a maiko or geiko so I would encourage anyone who can do so to make sure to prioritize this as they plan their trip to Japan. It was such an interesting way to immerse ourselves in the history and culture of the area - plus the food was delicious! I cannot recommend this enough.
We ended up splitting the activities so we did kyudo one afternoon and iaido the next day. Both were absolute privileges to be part of and I can not recommend them enough. It was a really special way to feel immersed in the history and culture of Japan as our teachers walked us through the steps that have been practiced for hundreds of years. I honestly was moved to tears at both experiences and am so grateful of the time and energy given by our teachers. These were very special experiences.